I would love to hear about experience at any/all branches.Which branch?
Current Army Nurse here I’ll speak to what happens when you graduate and commission as an active duty nurse. Once you graduate and pass the NCLEX you will submit all your paperwork and make your “wish-list” of assignments. You will be assigned to a MEDCEN which are the “larger” Army hospitals in the DoD. Before you go the hospital you will attend AMEDD BOLC at Ft Sam in San Antonio. I believe they just made it 3 months but it’s a cake walk of a course. BOLC teaches you about military healthcare and how to be an officer. When you get to your hospital you will go through Clinical Nurse Transition Program (CNTP). This is a 6-month residency were you are paired up with a preceptor and learn to be a nurse. It’s a great program because it will most likely be 3-8 months since you have touched a patient. You will be a 66H (Med-Surg) nurse and work on a med-surg floor for 2-3 years. You will most likely stay at your first hospital for 3 years. About 3-6 months after CNTP you will be getting charge nurse experience and around the 2 year mark you’ll be precepting new nurses. Around the 2-2.5 year mark you can apply for the AOC courses ie. OR, ED, ICU,Public Health, Psych (no OB and no peds). A few things to add; if you decide to stay in around the 8 year mark in your career you’ll get pulled from the beside and do more leadership/admin/nurse manager stuff. Currently military medicine is getting restructured so there are tons of stafffing/budget changes happening now so we’ll see where this all ends up. If you have specific questions I’m happy to answer them! Good luck!
Current Army Nurse here I’ll speak to what happens when you graduate and commission as an active duty nurse. Once you graduate and pass the NCLEX you will submit all your paperwork and make your “wish-list” of assignments. You will be assigned to a MEDCEN which are the “larger” Army hospitals in the DoD. Before you go the hospital you will attend AMEDD BOLC at Ft Sam in San Antonio. I believe they just made it 3 months but it’s a cake walk of a course. BOLC teaches you about military healthcare and how to be an officer. When you get to your hospital you will go through Clinical Nurse Transition Program (CNTP). This is a 6-month residency were you are paired up with a preceptor and learn to be a nurse. It’s a great program because it will most likely be 3-8 months since you have touched a patient. You will be a 66H (Med-Surg) nurse and work on a med-surg floor for 2-3 years. You will most likely stay at your first hospital for 3 years. About 3-6 months after CNTP you will be getting charge nurse experience and around the 2 year mark you’ll be precepting new nurses. Around the 2-2.5 year mark you can apply for the AOC courses ie. OR, ED, ICU,Public Health, Psych (no OB and no peds). A few things to add; if you decide to stay in around the 8 year mark in your career you’ll get pulled from the beside and do more leadership/admin/nurse manager stuff. Currently military medicine is getting restructured so there are tons of stafffing/budget changes happening now so we’ll see where this all ends up. If you have specific questions I’m happy to answer them! Good luck!
Thanks for this information! Question: How long did you wait after graduation before you went to AMEDD BOLC? Daughter is graduating next spring, and I had mentioned it could be some time before she reported to BOLC.
Her friend (Navy ROTC) just graduated, will be going to flight school but not until the fall.
There are usually x3 BOLC dates per summer; Mid-July, End of August, beginning of October. It’s first come first serve for BOLC/Duty station so take the NCLEX ASAP!! Also duty station availability corresponds with BOLC dates so Hawaii could be only offered in October etc.Current Army Nurse here I’ll speak to what happens when you graduate and commission as an active duty nurse. Once you graduate and pass the NCLEX you will submit all your paperwork and make your “wish-list” of assignments. You will be assigned to a MEDCEN which are the “larger” Army hospitals in the DoD. Before you go the hospital you will attend AMEDD BOLC at Ft Sam in San Antonio. I believe they just made it 3 months but it’s a cake walk of a course. BOLC teaches you about military healthcare and how to be an officer. When you get to your hospital you will go through Clinical Nurse Transition Program (CNTP). This is a 6-month residency were you are paired up with a preceptor and learn to be a nurse. It’s a great program because it will most likely be 3-8 months since you have touched a patient. You will be a 66H (Med-Surg) nurse and work on a med-surg floor for 2-3 years. You will most likely stay at your first hospital for 3 years. About 3-6 months after CNTP you will be getting charge nurse experience and around the 2 year mark you’ll be precepting new nurses. Around the 2-2.5 year mark you can apply for the AOC courses ie. OR, ED, ICU,Public Health, Psych (no OB and no peds). A few things to add; if you decide to stay in around the 8 year mark in your career you’ll get pulled from the beside and do more leadership/admin/nurse manager stuff. Currently military medicine is getting restructured so there are tons of stafffing/budget changes happening now so we’ll see where this all ends up. If you have specific questions I’m happy to answer them! Good luck!
Thanks for this information! Question: How long did you wait after graduation before you went to AMEDD BOLC? Daughter is graduating next spring, and I had mentioned it could be some time before she reported to BOLC.
Her friend (Navy ROTC) just graduated, will be going to flight school but not until the fall.
There are usually x3 BOLC dates per summer; Mid-July, End of August, beginning of October. It’s first come first serve for BOLC/Duty station so take the NCLEX ASAP!! Also duty station availability corresponds with BOLC dates so Hawaii could be only offered in October etc.